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The Rooks
The Rooks are a nomadic brotherhood of assassins, educated in many ways. Little is known of the grou p as they have always been shrouded by shadow. They hold their rich history and methods close to their chest; whether heroes, killers, or both- one thing is certain; they're the best at what they do. Origins The Rooks are a brotherhood of assassins which were founded during Roman rule by the Roman general, Marcus Valerius Corvus and his family circa 100 B.C.E. to be spies, mercenaries, and hitmen. For the next 1000 ye ars, they would carry out small, minor operations in service of the highest bidder and their own gain, even after the Fall of Rome. They spread throughout the Old World, gathering knowledge, strategy, and technology from every corner of the continents. While working in the Middle East, they encountered the Order of the Assassins. Also known as Hashashins, Ḥashashiyan, Ḥashīshiyyīn, Asāsiyyūns and the Nizari Ismailis, they were thought to be an extremist sect of Islam that assassinated targets for political and religious power. The Rooks had several conflicts with them between the years of 1100-1275, and through this rivalrous coinhabitance of the same regions, they were able to adopt many techniques and countermeas ures, often emulating their fighting style and methods. Eventually, in the year 1274, the leader of the Assassins sent word to the Rooks requesting help and reinforcement to the last of their fortresses. Unanimously, the leaders decided not to send help, and, the following year, the last fortress of the Assassins fell to the Mongols. The ruins of their fortresses held traces and remnants of their true creed; this was a creed that the Rooks, nor anyone else ever knew prior. "Nothing is true; everything is permitted." The journal of the last surviving defendant of their last fort spoke of corrupt agents within the governments of the world, who sought to strip humanity of its free will and of its individuality. It stated the purpose of the assassins: to fight this, and to preserve freedom and individuality. It stated that their cause- their creed, could not die so long as their words lived. With this newfound knowledge, the Rooks started to revolutionize their entire way of life. They began to teach philosophy, so that they could always defend against those who would take their thoughts. They began to fight for people, not for money. From then on, they were no longer just thieves and killers, they were the Rooks. Etymology of the Name While the brotherhood has always been called the Rooks, the form has varied from place to place. In Persia and the Levant, they were sometimes referred to as رخ (rokh), as the original name for the chess piece was. The chess piece, and the bird itself, originated from the "roc", a Persian mythological beast with origins in the seas of China. In the beginning, Rooks were synonymous with the Corvus family, so they were called by that name. It wasn't until later that the family and the brotherhood became separate and "Rooks" was used. Methods Members are trained in swordfighting, ranged weaponry, tactics, stealth, agility, discipline, philosophy, and a range of other skills. They use these skills strategically in order to achieve their goals.